Re: regarding Haiti

[Guest guest]

_http://www.pih.org/home.html_ (http://www.pih.org/home.html)

_http://doctorswithoutborders.org/_ (http://doctorswithoutborders.org/)

also known as MSF (Medicien sans Frontiers)

This is not a 'come as you are' affair right now. You probably need to

consider signing up with your local DMAT/DART/CERT organization or doing some

other outreach program *PRIOR* to volunteering. PIH, MSF, the Lions Clubs

and many religious organizations offer folks to go work on medical missions

under more 'normal' conditions, and often make such prior experience a

prerequisite for going along on such an emergency trip.

Are you able to handle 'primitive' camping conditions? do you know how to

purify water safely? can you handle rough terrain for hours on end? have you

taken a Wilderness Medical course (Wilderness EMT, etc?) because this sort

of work is MARKEDLY different that your usual street medic duties.

_http://www.wms.org/_ (http://www.wms.org/)

Do you have a passport and are your shots (including Hep A, Hep B, typhoid,

tetanus, etc) up to date?

_http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/haiti.aspx#vaccines_

(http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/haiti.aspx#vaccines) I'd also

recommend

consideration for yellow fever.

are you an amateur radio operator? while not a necessary condition, this

will help quite a bit, as communications will be limited at best.

_www.arrl.org_ (http://www.arrl.org) _http://www.emergency-radio.org/_

(http://www.emergency-radio.org/) _http://www.satern.org/_

(http://www.satern.org/)

If you know any of the folks who responded to KATRINA, RITA or IKE, they

will be able to guide you in some of the other things that will be helpful.

ck

In a message dated 1/13/2010 07:40:40 Central Standard Time,

poe_cindy@... writes:

Would anyone have any idea about any organizations or group that would use

volunteer EMT's or paramedics for relief work in Haiti?

Please pray for this sweet nation and for the devastation there.

Regards,

Cindy Poe

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